Other Travel Telecom Resources
Duet Dual SIM Cell Phone from National Geographic
National Geographic International Roaming SIM Card
Rent or Buy a GSM Cell Phone and SIM Card
Follow-me Toll Free (800) Numbers
International Calling Cards
Pros, Cons and Best Use Summary for International Cell Phones

Travel Phone Options: GSM Phones, SIM Cards, Calling Cards and 800 Numbers


Travel Cell Phone and International Calling Package:

Most of our customers need a cell phone for occasional overseas travel. The National Geographic Duet is perfect for yearly vacations as well as once-in-a-lifetime whirlwind adventures. The dual SIM feature lets you keep a T Mobile or AT&T iPhone number active and at the same time gives you an UK phone number with free incoming calls in 60 countries, and rates to the US of about a dollar a minute.

Unlocked GSM Cell Phone and National Geographic International Roaming SIM Card
The Duet National Geographic SIM with the international roaming SIM card is only $179. This lets you own an unlocked GSM phone that can be used with any SIM on future trips. It is much cheaper than renting a phone.

Programmable Toll Free Number
A Follow Me Toll Free 800 number allows you to forward calls to any number you choose. Callers always dial the same toll free number and the call reaches you on the phone number you have entered into the easy to use website.

Calls can even be forwarded to the National Geographic Phone and SIM for only 38 cents a minute. The service from Kall8 is only $2 a month and calls forwarded to US numbers are only 6.9 cents a minute. Activation is instant with credit card. Click here from more information on the Toll Free Number from Kall8.

Economical International Calling Card
Or  U.S. callers can use the Tel3 Advantage calling card to call the National Geographic UK phone number for only 15 cents a minute. The Tel3 Advantage is a prepaid card with auto-recharge meaning you won't get a bill and you won't run out of credit if your initial purchase runs out. Click here for rates and details on Tel3Advantage international calling card.

International Phone Rentals, GSM Phones and SIM Cards, International Calling Cards

International travel phone options reflect the usual trade off between cost and convenience.

  • Calling cards are the least expensive option, but they do not provide the mobility of a cell phone.
  • Roaming overseas with your U.S. cell phone gives you the convenience of a familiar phone and phone number (usually), but can have a high cost.
  • Renting a cell phone that charges calls to a credit card offers convenient billing but is rarely the least expensive choice.
  • Using an unlocked GSM phone with a local or international SIM card is the least expensive method, but can mean giving up your U.S. phone number – sometimes.

Click here to read about buying or renting a cell phone from Cellular Abroad. Cellular Abroad rents and sells GSM phones and country-specific SIM cards for single country or travel to multiple countries including Japan.

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GSM Cell Phones and International SIM Cards
Using a GSM phone and prepaid SIM card from the country you are visiting gives you a foreign phone number (unless an 800 number is used) and requires periodic credit top-ups, but is usually the least expensive travel cell phone option because it gives you access to the same rates the locals pay. In most Western nations this includes free incoming calls.

For travel to multiple countries, an international roaming SIM card is a good solution. International SIM cards also have free incoming calls and outgoing rates to the U.S. are only about $1 a minute.

Click here for information about the National Geographic dual SIM cell phone and international SIM card.

Click here to read about international cell phone rentals and sales.

Rent or Buy a GSM Phone and SIM Card
A rule of thumb in deciding whether to rent or buy a GSM cell phone or SIM card is; if you’re going to rent more than once, buy a phone. Some people prefer to rent a GSM phone with SIM a first time in order to try the service and technology before deciding whether to purchase.

Click here to read more about buying or renting a GSM phone and SIM card

Follow Me Toll Free 800 Numbers
Follow me numbers are toll free phone numbers that can be forwarded instantly to any number in the U.S. or internationally. The caller pays nothing and always dials the same toll free number to reach you, but where the call is forwarded to is set by you and can be changed at will.

Click here to learn more about the rates and details of follow me 800 numbers.

U.S. Based and International-origin Calling Cards
Dial around and prepaid calling cards are inexpensive options for calling family members or business associates during the time they are overseas. Often our home phone or cell phone’s international calling rates have high international rates because we didn’t select them for that use. Prepaid and dial around calling cards can be used from any phone to access cheaper rates making international calls.

International origin calling cards allow the person traveling to save money when calling back to the U.S. from abroad.

Click here to compare rates on several international calling cards, both U.S.-based and international origin.